Metal Targets

keithmichigan

I am interested in setting up some metal targets on my property. I am somewhat concerned with safety with doing that. I know that it is done a lot but I would like some input. The area that I would put the targets
would be safe even if shots would be wild.
Specifically I'm concerned about ricochets mainly back at the shooter.
Thanks

bpost

Hard steel, T-1 or other hard steels (AR400-500) 3/8" or more will demolish an impacting bullet, turning the kinetic energy into heat and fragments. For lead pistol bullets 20-25 yards is a safe minimum distance. For rifle you should stay at 100 yards or more to reduce impact velocity. The idea is to stop impact craters in the steel, it is the craters and dents that catch a bullet wrong and zing parts of it back at you.

Setting the plates at an angle will drop the bullets into the ground.

keithmichigan

quote:Originally posted by bpost
Hard steel, T-1 or other hard steels (AR400-500) 3/8" or more will demolish an impacting bullet, turning the kinetic energy into heat and fragments. For lead pistol bullets 20-25 yards is a safe minimum distance. For rifle you should stay at 100 yards or more to reduce impact velocity. The idea is to stop impact craters in the steel, it is the craters and dents that catch a bullet wrong and zing parts of it back at you.

Setting the plates at an angle will drop the bullets into the ground.
That makes very good sense and I have thought about those ideas before. I have seen many vidios on line and the steel was cratered and that's why I asked.
Beside that hard steel rings good
Thanks

wtroper

Keith,

I have about 60 steel targets that I use regularly. These are permanently set up on my little shooting range. I greatly prefer the steel target to paper. I have both "hard" and "softer" steel. Almost all of mine are set up to they will move when the bullet impacts them (swing). While I mostly shoot revolvers, I also shoot various single-shot "hunting" handguns.

My targets vary a lot in size -- from 2"x2" diamond shapes to a 12"x12" square. In addition, I have several cut in the shapes of various animals, including a 1/2 deer sized bull elk (this is the only one that does not swing).

The closest targets are about 50 yds and the most distant are about 250. I have never had a bullet come back toward the shooter when a swinging target was struck. These targets have had thousands of rounds fired at them.

Best.

bambambam

quote:Originally posted by bpost
Hard steel, T-1 or other hard steels (AR400-500) 3/8" or more will demolish an impacting bullet, turning the kinetic energy into heat and fragments. For lead pistol bullets 20-25 yards is a safe minimum distance. For rifle you should stay at 100 yards or more to reduce impact velocity. The idea is to stop impact craters in the steel, it is the craters and dents that catch a bullet wrong and zing parts of it back at you.

Setting the plates at an angle will drop the bullets into the ground.


What he said....

Plates handing from log chain do well with rifle bullets at 100yds+

keithmichigan

Duh. Why didn't I think of the logchain idea myself. Let gravity do the work of turning the target back to facing you.